1. Field
The disclosed aspects relate to wireless communication devices, and more particularly, to apparatus and methods of sharing contact information amongst wireless communication devices using Short Message Service (SMS) communication.
2. Background
Wireless communication devices have become a prevalent means by which majorities of people worldwide have come to communicate. As the cost of such devices and the cost of the services related to such devices, such as cellular telephone services, decreases, the overall penetration of such devices among the general populous increases. No longer are wireless communication devices limited to business use and/or emergency communication, but rather they have become commonly used in all facets of life.
Most wireless communication devices include a large database of contacts, typically referred to as a contact listing or an address book. Each contact listing may have numerous personal data associated with the contact, such as contact name, contact telephone number, contact home or business address, electronic mail (email) address and the like. In many instances, a device user is able to place a communication call by accessing the contact entry in the contact listing, as opposed to manually inputting the contact's telephone number by keypad entry.
In most instances, the contact database is built over time by inputting received telephone numbers or placed telephone numbers, for example from call logs, and associating them with a name. Additionally, the contact database can be built by sharing contact information between wireless communication devices. Currently various methods are available for sharing contact information amongst wireless devices.
In some wireless communication devices, email is available as a means of communicating contact information between wireless devices. The contact database may allow for a user to select a contact file, format the file in a personal data exchange format and attach the file to an email. Upon receipt, the user of the recipient device can acknowledge the contact file attachment and choose to enter the contact information in the contact database of the recipient device. However, this sharing platform has limited penetration in the wireless communication device environment, such as the cellular telephone environment, because it requires both the contact sharing device and the recipient device to be equipped with access to another public network beyond the cellular network, such as the Internet or the like, in order to send and receive email.
Other currently available sharing techniques are limited in terms of sharing range. For example, wireless devices with Universal Serial Bus (USB) capability or the like allow for contact information to be exchanged between wireless devices or between a personal computer and a wireless device if the devices are physically connected via a cable. In another example, wireless devices that are equipped with Bluetooth® or Infrared Data Association (IrDA) communication capability are able to communicate contact information wirelessly, however, the range of such communication necessitates that the devices be in close proximity of one another in order for data transfer to occur.
Therefore a need exists to develop a contact sharing system for wireless communication device that provides a high level of device penetration in terms of capability. In addition, the desired system for should allow for contact sharing to occur regardless of the proximity of the wireless devices. Also, the desired system should be used user-friendly and should be able to be easily incorporated in pre-existing wireless communication devices.